Film News

Wildfire Hopes to Reignite the Austin Film Scene

There's something strange about the word "synergy" coming out of Leon Rodriguez's mouth, but it's perhaps the only proper description for Wildfire Films, a joining of four film companies, two from Austin and two from Los Angeles, that just might give a drowsy Austin film scene a needed shot of adrenaline by bringing a slew of new productions to town. First up locally for the group is a biopic tentatively titled 16 Minutes about Latino civil rights advocate Gus Garcia (no relation to the former Austin mayor), who argued the landmark Hernandez v. Texas case before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1954 and cemented Latino rights under the 14th Amendment, only to die 10 years later penniless in San Antonio. The script is being co-written by Rodriguez and Austin actress/playwright Amparo Garcia-Crow, who has been obsessed with bringing Garcia's story to light since 1990, with help from Isidro Aguirre, who has been fascinated by it even longer. Look for preproduction in the spring with Rodriguez directing. "This isn't people coming in from the outside to do this," Rodriguez said of the new film company. "This is homegrown." At Wildfire's official launch, Rodriguez – who started playing guitar at age 3, came to Austin specifically to work at the Armadillo World Headquarters, and went on to direct videos for Stevie Ray Vaughan – was most excited to see Armadillo founder Eddie Wilson on hand. One potential upcoming Wildfire project involves compiling footage taken during the Armadillo's reign, Wilson confirmed. Also part of the Wildfire team are screenwriter Anton Diether, story editor and script consultant Mark Hacker, and set designer Jesus "Chuy" Carrera. "Isn't it nice to have a positive message in these times?" Rebecca Campbell of the Austin Film Society opined. Indeed it is.

We Got Spirit Noms, Yes We Do

The Austin connection to Film Independent's Spirit Awards continues with Margaret Brown's The Order of Myths up for best doc and the Lacoste Truer Than Fiction Award and ex-Austinite Alex Holdridge's In Search of a Midnight Kiss up for the John Cassavetes Award for the best feature made for less than $500,000. Towelhead, based on the book by Alicia Erian, former member of Austin's Blue Plate Poets, claimed a nom for lead actress Summer Bishil.

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